From Syed to Trust, legacy of human service continues

ESS AHMAD. Dated: 3/31/2020 11:52:23 PM

ANANTNAG, Mar 31: In 1985, three friends, all hailing from Malaknag locality of old town, Anantnag, were sitting at a local shop discussing various issues. The three friends at the very moment decided to construct the washroom for the poor neighbour. Each of them contributed for the purpose and in few days washroom was ready. The construction of washroom encouraged three friends to carry on their social work. Other people in the locality also joined the mission to help the poor and needy in their locality with one of them donating a building for the purpose. They started collecting donations from all those with good financial condition. The activities of the welfare group initially remained confined to Malaknag only. However In 1985, the group decided to register a trust and extend their activities to other localities as well. The trust was named Syed-us-Saadat trust after the follower of Mir Syed Ali Hamdani who is said to have stayed in the locality for several years. In service of humanity for last 35 years, the trust is now a trusted name not only in the town but in the entire district. Besides lending financial assistance to the poor and needy on monthly basis in normal circumstances, the trust is always on the forefront in times of calamities and unfavourable situations that the valley witnesses time and again.From last one week, the local boys associated with the trust have been on toes distributing daily need essentials among the needy having been hit by the lockdown ordered by the government after the valley saw spike in corona virus positive cases. Besides eatables and medicine being provided to the critical patients, the trust, according to its present chairman, Naseer Ahmad has distributed over seven lakh Rupees through online transactions among 310 affected families who cannot go out to earn in these tough times. Besides, the trust provided 500 N 95 masks and triple layer masks, 300 disposable shoe covers and 200 sanitisers to the hospitals. Since the medically recommended PPEs are running short in markets, the trust, a member said, arranged at least 400 of them and will be distributed in next few days among the frontline health workers in the district. This is not the first time when the trust is on the forefront. In 2014 floods, the trust not only helped the flood hit people in terms of material and cash but people associated with of the trust led from the front in saving the people submerged in waters. The trust has become such a trusted name in the district that people wholeheartedly donate on its call, both in the form of money and other valuables. What makes the people trust Syed-us-Saadat and donate generously is that none of the seventy members of the trust is on its pay rolls. The trust goes for elections every year electing chairman and general secretary."Any decision is taken by the chairman and general secretary only after consultations with all the members. There are strict rules that there should be no photography during the distribution of relief work," said Ahmad.The trust has a turnover of over One Crore Rupees annually and has many departments like education department, estates department, funding department and welfare department. "We give monthly assistance of Rs 1500 to 4000 to at least 250 families and even register new families after proper verification of their financial condition. Besides, we bear the wedding expenses of many girls every year whose parents cannot afford to marry them off. Besides, we lend financial help to scores of cancer and renal failure patients. But thank Allah people are donating generously," said general secretary of the trust, Ashiq Iqbal.The trust also runs a school a school and Madrasa which are lookef after by the education department of the trust.Both the institutions run on no profit, no basis basis as most of the children enrolled get free education.The trust also a sewing centre where poor girls are trained enabling them to make their living after being trained.